ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Meetings
    • ACR Convergence 2024
    • ACR Convergence 2023
    • 2023 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • ACR Meetings

Abstract Number: PP03

How Completing a Systematic Literature Review Improved How I Research My Own Rheumatoid Arthritis and Comorbidities

Shelley Fritz, Global Healthy Living Foundation, Kalaheo, HI

Meeting: ACR Convergence 2024

Keywords: diet, Patient reported outcomes, rheumatoid arthritis

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
Session Information

Date: Saturday, November 16, 2024

Title: Patient Perspectives Poster

Session Type: Poster Session A

Session Time: 10:30AM-12:30AM

Background/Purpose: Twelve years ago, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Initially, I was hopeful that the first biologic DMARD would slow the disease and relieve my symptoms. After trying eight different biologics and biosimilars, I found a regimen that effectively manages my RA symptoms. When gastrointestinal issues began, I set out to find answers. While contributing to a literature review on polymyalgia rheumatica through my career, I learned to evaluate clinical studies using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). This experience highlighted the importance of structured, high-quality research, leading me to reconsider my approach to researching my RA symptoms and comorbidities. Seeking high-quality literature is at the heart of reviewing, so I began to reflect on my own process for researching my condition. I wondered why I had sometimes used a common search engine to read the first articles that popped up in my search results instead of using a quality control process.

Intervention: While investigating new symptoms, I planned a strategic search through the PubMed database, implementing ideas gleaned from my literature review experience.

First, I decided to focus on these questions for my search:

  • What research supports or opposes a connection between RA and GI symptoms? (Comorbidities, GI Link)
  • What is causing the abdominal pain and gut problems affecting my quality of life? (Triggers, Quality of Life)
  • How can I change my lifestyle to have fewer GI symptoms? (Diet, Treatment)

Second, I specified the inclusion and exclusion criteria (Table 1), and then I selected the search filters. The filters applied in the PubMed advanced search included articles between 2010-2024 categorized as free full text, full text, clinical trial, meta-analysis, and randomized control trial with the terms “rheumatoid arthritis” AND “gastrointestinal.” With my search complete, I screened articles for relevance and quality level. I sorted the included articles by topic and began reading.

Maintenance: My search yielded 48 results, which were exported onto a spreadsheet. During the initial screening process, I used the inclusion/exclusion criteria to exclude 36 of the 48 articles. Each of the 12 articles meeting inclusion criteria was assigned a topic it most closely aligned with, and then the articles were sorted. Articles were categorized as follows: Treatment (n=7), Gut Biome and RA (n=4), and Clinical Presentation (n=1). (Table 2) I read the full text of the four articles related to the gut biome and RA and took notes to facilitate my conversations with my primary care physician, GI specialist, and rheumatologist. (Table 3)

Quality of Life: Learning about RA’s relationship to the gut gave me new information to digest. I consulted a gastroenterologist about gut microbiota and RA. I shared my learnings and together we made a plan to assess which foods I tolerate well. I’m on a low FODMAP diet to calm my digestive system before reintroducing foods. My rheumatologist and I concluded my RA is well-managed and my digestive issues are likely unrelated to medication. Using systematic searches can help patients find key studies, enhancing their understanding and empowering better healthcare decisions and discussions with providers.

Supporting image 1

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria for Search

Supporting image 2

Review Process (Adapted from PRISMA)

Supporting image 3

Excerpts from my notes taken for the four included articles


Disclosures: S. Fritz: None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Fritz S. How Completing a Systematic Literature Review Improved How I Research My Own Rheumatoid Arthritis and Comorbidities [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2024; 76 (suppl 9). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/how-completing-a-systematic-literature-review-improved-how-i-research-my-own-rheumatoid-arthritis-and-comorbidities/. Accessed .
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to ACR Convergence 2024

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/how-completing-a-systematic-literature-review-improved-how-i-research-my-own-rheumatoid-arthritis-and-comorbidities/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

All abstracts accepted to ACR Convergence are under media embargo once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance. They may be presented at other meetings or published as manuscripts after this time but should not be discussed in non-scholarly venues or outlets. The following embargo policies are strictly enforced by the ACR.

Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting and are published in a special online supplement of our scientific journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Information contained in those abstracts may not be released until the abstracts appear online. In an exception to the media embargo, academic institutions, private organizations, and companies with products whose value may be influenced by information contained in an abstract may issue a press release to coincide with the availability of an ACR abstract on the ACR website. However, the ACR continues to require that information that goes beyond that contained in the abstract (e.g., discussion of the abstract done as part of editorial news coverage) is under media embargo until 10:00 AM ET on November 14, 2024. Journalists with access to embargoed information cannot release articles or editorial news coverage before this time. Editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting and other measures deemed appropriate. Authors are responsible for notifying colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. If you have questions about the ACR abstract embargo policy, please contact ACR abstracts staff at [email protected].

Wiley

  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences

© Copyright 2025 American College of Rheumatology